Fuel-hopper



. No. 624,402. Patented May 2, |899.

W. SWINDELL. v FUEL HoPP'E.

(Application filed Dec. 14, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

N' Q N Si es N' l B N E 1 Q v WITNESSES:

No. 624,402. Patented May 2, |899.

w. SWINDELL. 4

FUEL HOPPER.

(Application led Dec. 14, 189B.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

FIG. 4.

FIGB.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM SIVINDELL, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. i

FUEL-HOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 624,402, dated May 2,1899.

Application led December 14, 1898. Serial No. 699.214. (No model.)

tain new and useful Improvement in Fuel` Hoppers, of which improvementthe following v is a specification.

My present invention isan improvement upon that for which Letters Patentof the United States No. 270,149 were granted and issued to me underdate of .Ianuary 2, 1883; and its object is to facilitate and perfectthe operation of apparatus of the general cla-ss of that set forth insaid Letters Patent by the provision of means whereby the movementsofthe hopper may bc more readily and expeditiousl y eifected and escapeof gas prevented.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter 'fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a Vertical longitudinalcentral section through a charging apparatus for gas-producers,illustrating an application of my invention; Fig. 2, a plan or top viewof the same with the feed-hoppers in section; Fig. 3, an end View of oneof the feed-hoppers; Fig. 4, a partial longitudinal central section, onan enlarged scale, through a feed-hopper and the coverplate of agas-producer; and Fig. 5, a transverse section, on the same scale,through the feed-opening and its lid.

As in my Letters Patent No. 270,149 aforesaid, a slide-plate 1 is fittedto.traverse on the ltop or cover plate 2 of a gas-producer or otherfurnace and controls a feed-opening 3, formed therein. Openings 4 and 5,each corresponding, substantially, in shape and size with thefeed-opening 3, are formed in the slide-plate l, one or the other ofwhich openings may, as desired, be brought intoregister with thefeedopening by movementof the slide-plate in the proper direction. Theopening 4 is closed by a removable lid 6, having a central poke-hole, inwhich is fitted a removable plug 7. An open-bottomed feed-hopper 8 isiitted removably in the slide-plate 1 above and around the opening 5thereof, the bottom end of said hopper being substantially similar inshape and size to the opening 5 and the top of the hopper being closedby a removable lid 9. Lateral tongues or tenons 10, which extend pastthe openings 4 and 5 and are preferably stituted for the slidingfriction induced'under the construction of Patent No. 270,149 aforesaid,the power required for the movement of the slide-plate iscorrespondingly reduced undermypresent invention. Theslide-plate ismoved in opposite directions, so as to bring the ,bottom of thefeed-hopper 8 into and out of register with the feed-opening 3, by adouble-armed hand-lever 15, journaled in bear ings 16 on the cover-plate2 and having an operating-handle 1'7 on its upper arm, its lower armbeing coupled by a link 18 with the slideplate 1. The reduction ofoperating power effected by the employment of the supporting-rollers 12enables the slide-plates of two or more producers to be actuated byasingle lever, and. in the construction shownv in the drawings theadjacent axles of the slidelplates of two'producers are connected by acoupling-rod 19 and both slide-plates are coincidently operated by ahand-level' 15.

Inorder to compensate for wear and maintain the normal rolling contactof the rollers 12 with the surface of the cover-plate over which theytraverse, means are provided for raising the slide-plate relatively toits axles 13 as may from time to time become necessary or desirable. Tothis end the axles 13 may be tted in sockets 20, which are of inverted-U form and are -tted in recesses of corresponding form in the end lugs14 of the slide-plate. Adjusting-screws 21 engage threaded openings inthe lugs at right angles to thecenter lines of the axle 13, and bysuitable adjustments of the screws 21 they may be caused to bear upon.the upper sides of the sockets 2O and by their threaded engagement withthe lugs 14 raise the slide-plate to such greater or less degree as maybe required to allow proper clearance between its lower side and the topof the cover-plate 2, and

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thereby to prevent sliding friction of the slideplate on the cover-plateand cause the slideplate to be borne wholly by the rollers 12. For thispurpose of preventing escape of gasV at the ends of the slide-plate whenthe same is raised to any appreciable extent above the cover-plate atransverse packing-plate 22, o f metal, is fitted freely in theslide-plate l adjacent to each of its ends, said packing-plates beingheld by their own gravity in contact with the cover-plate irrespectiveof the relation of the slide-plate thereto and preventing gas which maypass out of the feed-opening 3 from escaping past them. The escape ofsuch gas at the sides'of the cover-plate is prevented by the lateraltongues or tenons 10.

In operation, the hopper S having been charged with fuel, theslide-plate is moved by the hand-lever until the bottom of the hopper isbrought above the feed-opening 3 and the fuel is discharged by gravitythereinto. Upon the return of the slide-plate to the normal positionshown in the drawings the feedopening'is closed by thelid 6, and thehopper may be recharged with fuel in readiness for a succeedingoperation.

I claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl l. Thecombination of a furnace or producer cover-plate provided with afeed-opening, a slide-plate, an open-bottomed fuel-hopper su rroundingan opening in the slide-plate, means supporting the slide-plate andadapted to traverse on the cover-plate, and means for adjusting .thesldeplate relatively to the cover-plate.

2. The combination of a furnace or producer cover-plate provided with afeed-openin g,a Slideplate, an open-bottomed fuel-hopper surrounding anopening in theslide-plate, rollers supporting the slide-plate andadapted to traverse on the cover-plate, lateral tongues or tenons on theslide-plate entering grooves in lthe cover-plate, means for adjustingthe slide-plate relatively to the cover-plate, and transversepacking-plates ttin g freely in the lower side of the slide-plate.

3. The combination of a furnace or producer cover-plate provided with afeed-opening, a slide-plate, an open-bottomed fuelhop per surrounding anopening in the slide-plate, rollers supporting the slide-plate andadapted to traverse on the cover-plate, and adjustingscrews engagingthreaded openings in the slide-plate and having their ends in positionto bear on the axles of the supporting-rollers.

4. The combination of a plurality of furnace or producercover-plates,each provided with a feed-opening, a slide-plate for eachcover-plate,open-bottomed fuel-hoppers,each surrounding an opening inone ofV the slideplates, rollers supporting the slide-plates and adaptedto traverse on the cover-plates, means for adjusting the slide-platesrelatively to the cover-plates, links connecting the slide-plates one toanother, and a lever and connections for moving the slide-plates intoand out of position for registering the f uel-hoppers with thefeed-openings.V

WILLIAM SWINDELL.

Witnesses:

J. SNOWDEN BELL, C. A. WILLIAMs.

